President Yoon Personally Writes 5.18 Memorial Speech... Contains Message of Future Hope

Seven rounds of revisions until late night the day before... Focusing on sublimation with 'Hope' spread out in both draft and revised versions

President Yoon Suk-yeol revised the commemorative speech to be delivered at the May 18 Democratic Uprising memorial ceremony late into the evening on the 17th, together with some of his aides. / Presidential Office

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] President Yoon Suk-yeol will deliver a commemorative speech that he personally revised at the May 18 Democratic Movement memorial ceremony on the 18th. Since all members of the National Assembly from the People Power Party will attend and the 'March for the Beloved' is scheduled to be sung for the first time under a conservative government, the speech is expected to convey a message of 'national unity.'

According to the presidential office on the 18th, President Yoon conducted a total of seven rounds of revisions on the commemorative speech to be delivered at the May 18 Democratic Movement memorial ceremony until late the previous night. The speech was completed after repeated modifications, including adding and removing words directly while laying out both the draft and revised versions with his aides. A senior official from the presidential office explained, "The part President Yoon struggled with the most while writing the speech was how to transform the sorrow of May into hope for the future."

Earlier, President Yoon personally revised the 16-minute and 37-second inaugural address he delivered on the 10th. Although the draft was created through discussions by 16 members of the inaugural speech preparation committee, President Yoon refined it himself. He also personally revised all his speeches when he declared his political participation on June 29 last year, when he was selected as the People Power Party's presidential candidate on November 5 last year, and when he delivered his acceptance speech after winning the presidential election on March 9.

The commemorative speech President Yoon will deliver on this day is expected to include content about the 'inclusion of the preamble in the Constitution.' In fact, this year's memorial ceremony theme is 'Offering May,' planned with the intention of healing the pain of May 18 Democratic Movement veterans and their families through truth verification, forgiveness, and reconciliation, and delivering a message to the public to cherish the seeds of democracy sown from Gwangju and together create a hopeful May.

Upon arriving in Gwangju on a special KTX train on the morning of the day, President Yoon may enter the May 18 Democratic Cemetery through the Gate of Democracy together with bereaved families of the May 18 victims and various bereaved family organizations. It is reported that President Yoon sent Kang Seung-gyu, senior secretary for civil society, ahead to Gwangju to coordinate simultaneous entry and a tea time with the bereaved family groups. During the presidential election, President Yoon was unable to reach the memorial tower due to controversy over his remarks defending Jeon Du-hwan.

However, at this memorial ceremony, the plan is to emphasize the will to inherit the spirit of May 18 by singing the 'March for the Beloved.' Ministers from various government departments and senior secretaries from the presidential office will accompany him at the ceremony. Nearly all 100 members of the ruling People Power Party will also attend at President Yoon's invitation.

A presidential office official explained, "The attendance of more than 100 People Power Party members, ministers, and presidential office staff?excluding the minimum number required to keep offices running?is itself the greatest message of unity."